Dear Kilts Descendants:

Spring has come and it is time to send your Kilts Family Newsletter. This year’s Kilts Family Reunion, which is always held the 3^rd Sunday in August, will be August 19^th. We will again be meeting at the Salem Methodist church picnic grounds in East Stone Arabia at 12 noon. Bring a dish to share for our picnic. We will have hot dogs and hamburgers to cook on a grill. Family members are invited to join the worship service at 11 AM at the Methodist church. Your officers had sought another site, however with our low treasury and so many places being more expensive, we decided to stay at Stone Arabia. It is a quiet rural spot and one can imagine our Kilts ancestors traveling here by foot or ox-cart to build their houses and barns and work the land.

Last year, we had 25 members attend. The oldest members were Ron Hillabrant, 90 and Dorothy Konchar. The youngest were Joe, 6 and Destiny, 2. Sarah Israel traveled the farthest. Our treasurer was not able to attend but sent his report. The balance as of 15 August 2006 was $555.14. The newsletter expense was $271.25 for postage and printing. We gave a donation of $50 to the church for use of the picnic grounds. We thank John Empie for his years of service as our treasurer. Dorothy Konchar was elected as new treasurer, Joe Stevens as Registrar, Jess Stockigt as Hospitality. Other officers reelected were: Nancy Cioch – President, Sarah Israel – Vice-President, Barbette Francisco – Secretary, Herman Witthoft – Genealogist.

Discussion at the meeting included the rising costs of mailing the Newsletter. We have 600+ on our address list. It was decided that we would try to make corrections on the list for 2007 and create an email list for members who have email. 2007 will be the last year to mail a newsletter to everyone on the list. For successive years, the letter will go to those who have sent in a donation or have attended the Reunion in the past few years. Even $1 will help us continue to mail the Newsletter. Please let me know if you have an email address and want to be on that list. My email is ncioch@yahoo.com. I also have a web page and will post Kilts newsletters and Kilts related articles there http://nancyscorner.net

This year’s Reunion will have planned activities for the children. Alberta Fuller will be in charge of this. There will be gifts for the “oldest, youngest, traveled farthest” members. We also plan a “silent auction” as a fund raiser. You may bring an item to donate for this.

This year’s Newsletter will be dedicated to Herman Witthoft for his life’s work on the Kilts genealogy. He carried on his mother’s research and compiled the data for the “Descendants of Conrad Kilts”. Herman’s health has given him some problems these past couple of years. We want him to know how much his work has been appreciated.

On a sad note, Carolyn Timmerman Sidenius passed away April 16, 2007 at 95 years of age. She compiled 5 genealogies for the Snell-Zimmerman-Timmerman Reunion. One of these was the “Descendants of Peter and Anna Kilts Snell”. Anna or Susanna was the daughter of Peter and Anna Maria Bellinger Kilts. This 300+ page genealogy has been a great help to Kilts descendants as Carolyn’s research was meticulous. We will miss her.

I was also sent an obituary for Rose Marie Kilts who passed away February 11, 2007. Her late husband was William H. Kilts who died January 9, 2006. Our condolences go out to all family members who have lost a loved one this past year.

I received a notice from our Kansas Kilts cousins in January 2007. They will hold the 2007 Kilts Family and Friends Reunion on June 24, at the Sedgwick County Park in Wichita, Kansas. Debbie Kilts Wampler is planning the event with homemade baked goods and crafts to auction off as well as “a lot of catching up and good times and excellent food”. You can email her at wamp1629@sbcglobal.net.

Please send us your updates – weddings, deaths, marriages, births. Don’t forget to notify us when you move. We lose members each year when mail is returned, undeliverable. We hope to see you on August 19. Bring your genealogy questions and any Kilts Family stories that you would like to share.

Sincerely,

Your Cousin,

Nancy Timmerman Cioch, President

Related Family Reunions and Events

June 3 – Annual rhubarb festival at Nellis Tavern

Visit the Nellis Tavern at http://www.palatinesettlementsociety.org

June 10 – German Palatine Thanksgiving – Palatine Church 11:30